Ski construction



Sept. 1941/- s. c. BROWN' 2,254,818

SKI CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 28, 1940' Patented Sept. 2, 1941 TTES PAT My invention relates to improvements in ski constructions and is directed more particularly to improvements in devices for releasably holding the cable assembly of a ski.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a means for use in connection with skis for releasably holding the cable assembly in such a way that should the skier fall forwardly, the cable assembly is automatically released so as to free the foot and thereby to avoid accident and injury.

The novel features of the invention are accomplished by the provision of a device having separate parts which are engaged for quick release when the emergency arises.

With the foregoing and various other novel features and advantages and other objects of my invention as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a ski having the novel features of the device of my invenlike parts, and referring more particularly to the preferred form of my invention which has been selected for illustrative purposes, I have shown a ski which is represented by the character 2.

This ski carries a binding which is indicated generally by i. A shoe is indicated at 6, and the safety release of my invention is indicated at 8.

The safety release has a plate member H] which is secured to the ski 2 in some suitable manner. A member I2 is separable therefrom substantially as is shown in Fig. 2. A cable assembly is represented by M which encircles the rear part of the shoe 6 at the heel and extends beneath hitch brackets l5 in the well known manner. The forward end of the assembly is engaged by a device l5 which is carried by the member 12. The device l6 may take any form elevate the heel of the shoe.

which is desired since it forms no part of the present invention.

The particular function of the device of my invention is to release the cable. When the skier is upset, he pitches forwardly or otherwise assumes a position other than normal so as to There is a strain thereby applied to the cable assembly which brings about a quick release of the member l2 from the member In.

The member Ill is plate like and it has an upwardly extending rear cam portion which is provided with a cam fac 29.

A post 22 extends upwardly from the plate 50 and it has a base ll therearound resting on the plate i0. Said base is provided with flattened sides 24 substantially as shown in Fig. 3.

The upper end of the post 22 is screw threaded and has in engagement therewith an adjusting nut 26.

The member [2 has a transversely disposed channel portion 28 which provides a cam face which is more or less complemental to the cam face 20. Its forward end I3 is provided with a slot, as shown, the sides of which slidably receive the fiat sides of the member H.

A washer 32 is disposed around the post 22 so as to overlie the forward end I3 of the member l2. A spring 313 around the post 22 may be urged downwardly and its tension may be adjusted by means of the nut 25 and a washer 36 thereunder which bears on the spring.

As the skier assumes a position where a pulling strain is exerted by the cable assembly so as to pull the member it rearwardly, theend of the member [2 by reason of the cam surface tends to move upwardly against the resistance of the spring 34.

When the strain is sufficient the cam surface 30 rides up and over the cam surface 29 whereby the member I2 is released so that the cable assembly releases the shoe and frees the skier from the ski.

The slope or arrangement of the cam surfaces may be varied so as to offer more or less resistance to' the separation of the members ii! and I2. The spring 34 may be adjusted relative to the cam surfaces so as to provide in conjunction with said cam surfaces resistance of various. degrees according to the desires of the skier.

Manifestly the specific details of construction may be considerably varied from those herein shown and described without involving any departure from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages inherent therein. While I have described my invention in this specification in great detail and particularly with respect to the present preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto since many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A device for releasably connecting a foot holding member to a ski comprising in combination, a plate member for attachment to a ski having an upwardly extending cam portion and v a spring supporting portion, a separate member having a cam portion and a slotted end portion forwardly thereof for receiving the spring supporting portion, and a spring on the supporting portion acting on the slotted end of said separate member.

2. ,A safety release for the holding fast means of a ski comprising in combination, a plate for securement to a ski having a forward post and a cam etxending upwardly rearwardly thereof, a separate member having a downwardly extending cam surface for disposition adjacent the cam of said plate and a forwardly extending end portion, and spring means associated with the forward post and acting on the forwardly extending end portion of said separate member to resist upward movements thereof as said separate member is moved rearwardly relative to said plate to cause said separate member to be moved upwardly by the cams.

3. A safety release for the holding fast means of a ski comprising in combination, a plate for securement to a ski having a forward post and a cam extending upwardly rearwardly thereof, a separate member having a downwardly extending cam surface for disposition adjacent the cam of said plate and a forwardly extending end portion, and spring means associated with the forward post and acting on the forwardly ex-' tending end portion of said separate member to resist upward movements thereof as said separate member is moved rearwardly relative to said plate to cause said separate member to be moved upwardly by the cams, with the forwardly extending end portion of said separate member having a slot for receiving the post.

4. A safety release for the holding fast means of a ski comprising in combination, a plate for securement to a ski having a forward post and a cam extending upwardly rearwardly thereof, a separate member having a downwardly extending cam surface for disposition adjacent the cam of said plate and a forwardly extending end portion, and spring means associated with the forward post and acting on the forwardly extending end portion of said separate member to resist upward movements thereof as said separate member is moved rearwardly relative to said plate to cause said separate member to be moved upwardly by the cams, and means for adjusting said spring means.

5. A safety release for the flexible heel embracing cable-assembly of ski equipment comprising in combination, a plate for securement to a ski having an upwardly extending post and a cam surface rearwardly of said post inclining upwardly away from said post, a cable member for attachment to a cable-assembly having a slotted forward end for receiving said post and a cam surface rearwardly thereof complemental to the cam surface of the plate, and spring means associated with said post for acting on and urging the slotted forward end of said cable member downwardly with the cam surfaces in engagement and releasably holding the cable member and plate together.

6. A safety release for the flexible heel embracing cable-assembly of ski equipment comprising in combination, a plate for securement to a ski having an upwardly extending post and a cam surface transversely thereof inclining upwardly away from said post, a member for attachment to a cable-assembly having a forward slotted end for receiving said post and an inclined cam surface complemental to that of said plate for engagement therewith, and spring means associated with said post operable to yieldingly urge the forward end of the member downwardly with the cam surfaces in engagement, all adapted and arranged whereby as said cable member is moved rearwardly of said plate the cam surface thereof slides upwardly of that of the plate against the action of the spring means until said cam surfaces are disengaged.

7. A safety release for the flexible heel embracing cable-assembly of ski equipment comprising in combination, a plate for securement to a ski having spaced post and cam members extending upwardly therefrom, a cable member for attachment to a cable-assembly having a forward slot for receiving said post and a channel for receiving said cam member, and spring means associated with said post adapted to yieldingly bear on the forward end of said cable memher to yieldingly hold the cam member and channel in releasable engagement.

8. The combination of a plate member for securement to a ski and a member for attachment to a cable-assembly with quick releasable safety connections comprising, spaced post and cam parts on one of said members, the other of said members having a slotted end for receiving said post and a cam part engageable with the firstnamed cam part, and spring means on said post for yieldingly acting on the slotted end of said other member to yieldingly hold the cam parts in yielding and releasable engagement.

1 STANLEY C. BROWN. 

